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The differences between tracers and installation technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a tracer has an average salary of $43,913, which is higher than the $38,043 average annual salary of an installation technician.
The top three skills for a tracer include government agencies, customer service and patient accounts. The most important skills for an installation technician are customer service, ladders, and hand tools.
| Tracer | Installation Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $43,913 | $38,043 |
| Hourly rate | $21.11 | $18.29 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 4,824 | 129,534 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | High School Diploma, 32% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
The duties of a tracer primarily depend on their line of work or industry of employment. In the healthcare industry, a tracer plays a vital role in minimizing the spread of contagious diseases, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Also known as a contact tracer, they are primarily in charge of identifying individuals who came in contact and were potentially exposed to a patient diagnosed with the contagious disease, reaching out to them in order to inform them about the situation, initiate isolation protocol, conduct interviews to learn any symptoms, and refer them for testing.
Installation technicians are responsible for handling and installing all types of electronic systems and equipment. An installation technician should be well-knowledgeable about the equipment complexity to conduct troubleshooting for system malfunction or provide necessary instructions for the customers. In some cases, installation technicians are required to conduct regular checks and maintenance to ensure that the system functions properly, upgrading, or replacing equipment for improvement. Installation technicians usually handle customer queries for the system and are expected to resolve issues through remote work or area visit.
Tracers and installation technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Tracer | Installation Technician | |
| Average salary | $43,913 | $38,043 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $66,000 | Between $29,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Chicago Public Schools | Pella |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Finance |
There are a few differences between a tracer and an installation technician in terms of educational background:
| Tracer | Installation Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | High School Diploma, 32% |
| Most common major | Business | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | New York University | New York University |
Here are the differences between tracers' and installation technicians' demographics:
| Tracer | Installation Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.3% Female, 63.7% | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 6.9% White, 57.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 6.3% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |